


Meet Mister Laurens

by godDAMNitlaurens



Series: Dads Squared!AU [1]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Dads Squared!AU side story, Family Reunion, Father-Son Relationship, M/M, Meeting the father-in-law, Meeting the grandkids, Secrets ‘n surprises
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-03-04 15:16:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13367415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/godDAMNitlaurens/pseuds/godDAMNitlaurens
Summary: John Laurens is living a happy, lovable life with his husband Alexander Hamilton and his kids. Everything is going perfect until the little family receives a letter in the mail from a “Mister Henry Laurens” requesting John to travel down to South Carolina to see his father again. Of course John is less than thrilled to see the man, but Alex convinces him that maybe this trip will be good, at least for Phillip, Little Alex and Ellie- give them a chance to meet their grandpa. Maybe he’s changed? Or perhaps this was all a call for a family battle? All John knew is that there was only one way to find out.





	1. The Request

**Author's Note:**

> Caved and decided to post this after much contemplation. I’ve had this idea for a while and it feels good to finally get it “on paper”.
> 
> *To avoid confusion, I refer to Frances as “Ellie” bc of her middle name- Eleanor.

Giggles and laughter filled a small Yorktown home as two little boys chased one another in a game of tag. The older of the two, Philip, quickly gained on his brother, Alex, and tackled him playfully to the floor. 

“Philip!” Alexander Junior whined as he was unwillingly pinned to the carpeted floor. Philip laughed teasingly. “What’s wrong, Lexi? Having trouble escaping the Mighty King Philip?” 

Alex pouted at the nickname and clenched his teeth in angst. “Daaaad! Philip’s being a jerk again!” Both boys looked up when the tall, curly-haired John Laurens peeked his head out from the room next to them, Frances cradled in his arms. He looked at them with a stern, yet amused, expression.

“Knock it off you two. Your Pops is sleeping for once, and the last thing I need is for you to wake him-“

As if summoned, Alexander walked into the living room, baggy eyes reflecting the man’s near-nonexistent sleeping pattern. “Back at it again with house-tag, huh boys?” Alex let out a light chuckle as he made his way over to John with a short stack of letters in his hand. Laurens looked betwee the letters and Hamilton, puzzled. Frances giggled, instantly reaching out towards Alexander. 

“I thought you were asleep Alex? I haven’t seen you since noon!,” He took the letters and bills out of Alexander’s hand as their daughter made her way into Hamilton’s arms. “And when’d you get the mail?”

As per usual, Hamilton had no response and simply craned his neck to give John a peck on the cheek. 

“It’s a mystery J.,” He said slyly, smirking as he saw his husband swoon silently at the gesture. By this time Philip and Alex Junior had reached the kitchen before their fathers and sister, currently stuffing their faces with a half-empty bag of potato chips they’d managed to find. As they entered the kitchen, Alexander gave them a silent scolding while John began to mindlessly skim through the mail. 

_Bills, cards, more bills..._

John suddenly let out a short gasp as he gripped the last envelope in shock, his family sharing confused and concerned expressions. “What is it Dad?” Phillip asked through a mouthful of potato chips. John was silent and walked numbly to Alexander’s side, handing him the letter and mumbling something inaudibly. 

“What?” Alex took the letter from his spouse’s hand and began to scan over it. Once he’d finished reading, his jaw dropped. “No freakin way.” 

By now, Philip had wriggled his way between his parents, and Little Alex had convinced John to pick him up. “Pops? Daddy? What’s wrong?” 

John worked his jaw for a moment before finally answering. “...I-it’s my father- your grandfather. He wants to get together.” Hamilton cocked his head.

“He knows about us John? I thought you hadn’t spoken to him since you graduated college?” Alexander looked at John quizzically before he nodded, as if unsure of himself. “Y-yeah, I haven’t seen him in almost a decade,” he mumbled. “He’s asking me if I want to join him for dinner at his house in the next couple of weeks. Problem is he’s in South Carolina, and that means-“

“Airplane!” Little Alex chirped. Both boys looked up at John with excited gleams in their eyes. Even the baby clapped her hands innocently. Both fathers looked at each other simultaneously, an intriguing gleam Alexander’s eyes, which John decided not to address at the moment.

“You know, it’s weird. He waited all these years to get in contact, and all the sudden he wants to give you a free meal and hang out. Doesn’t that seem, I dunno, a little...” Hamilton trailed off, searching for the right word.

“Silly?” Little Alex piped up. 

“Weird?” Philip offered.

“... _Sudden?_.” Hamilton finished as John put Junior down, ignoring his whines of protest, and turning to the boys. “Why don’t the two of you go play outside a bit? Let Pops and I have an adult conversation?” 

The brothers each groaned and huffed stubbornly, but, knowing this was one battle they wouldn’t win, obeyed. With unnecessary force the front door was closed and the high-pitched, boyish laughs continued as the pair chased each other outside.

“So are we going?” Alex asked once their sons were gone, placing Frances in her high chair. John sighed and made his way over to the fridge where a box of blueberries sat, cold and waiting. He placed the carton in front of Frances before turning back to Hamilton. 

“I don’t know Lex. I mean, I want to see what this is all about, but at the same time...” He trailed off, popping one of the small fruits into his mouth. 

“Henry wouldn’t appreciate seeing you with another man. Yeah, I understand,” Hamilton said sourly through a mouthful of blueberries. “Don’t know what the big deal is. If you’re happy, then he should be happy. You would think he’d know that after raising four other kids, besides you. There’s no reason he should be such a dic-“ He caught himself. “ _Dictator_ when it comes to your relationships.” 

A beat of silence hovered over the couple, Ellie’s chewing being the only audible sound at the moment. 

“Are we going?” Hamilton asked again, breaking the silence after a long minute. John shrugged as he turned to gaze out the window, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. “Not sure. I don’t know how my Dad would respond to me _not only_ marrying another guy, but _starting a family_ with one, no less. I’m just conflicted.” 

Alexander shifted his weight awkardly before responding. “Look, J. If you want to see your father, go for it. And even if you don’t, think about the kids,” Alex gently placed a hand on John’s shoulder as he continued. “Wouldn’t it be nice for them to meet their grandfather? Let them get to know their family and all that? After all,” Alexander now stood between Laurens and the windowsill, John having placed his hands on Alex’s hips. “It’s one of the things we’ve always talked about, even before we got married- that we’d give our descendants a change to experience something we never got to as kids. And I think being with family is at the top of the list. Family is a gift, and we can’t take it for granted.”

The two sat in silence for a short moment, the gears clearly turning in John’s head as he thought about what Alex had said. 

_Family is a gift._

Laurens suddenly broke away from Hamilton’s hold and made way over to Ellie, who sat impatiently in her chair. He gave her a kiss on the forehead before lifting her from the chair and cradling her as he did before. 

“Ellie!” John cooed in a fatherly tone. “How would you like to go visit your grandpa?”

Though he was almost certain the baby had no clue what he was saying to her, she giggled and clapped her hands enthusiastically. Alexander made his way over to the two of them, a look of surprise on his face and his eyebrows raised.

“You’re serious, John?” Hamilton let out a small squeal in surprise as he was pulled into his spouse’s chest eagerly. 

“Of course!” He released his grip on Alex slightly before turning towards the kitchen’s exit. “You were right, I should allow the kids to have this experience. It’ll be a nice excuse to get out of town too. A win-win if you ask me.” John bent down slightly to give Alexander a kiss on the bridge of his nose. Frances followed John and also gave her Pops a sloppy, innocent kiss on the forehead, which Alex chuckled lovingly at. 

“I’m off to book tickets. Call the boys in here, tell them the news. I’m sure they’ll be more than thrilled!” By the time he’d finished the sentence, John was already halfway up the stairs. He allowed the happy, hopeful fantasies of Henry accepting John and his family to enter his mind, currently drowning out all of the negative memories that had barged their way into his head. 

It all began here. 


	2. Anxieties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Packing| Poem| Alex Jr. is a klutz| A little bit of Lams|

The next couple weeks were busy, between both Alexander and John trying to work around their schedules, and letting Henry know that there would be not one- but _five_ guests coming to visit him. John wasn’t quite sure how to tell his father about Alex at the moment, so he tried to be as vague as possible, but without sounding suspicious, in his letter back.

_Dad-_

_My family and I really appreciate your offer, and will gladly accept. To avoid any inconveniences, we will be staying in a local hotel called the Harbourview Inn, as there are five of us total. Our flight is booked for Friday afternoon, so that should put us up by you at around five or six. We can meet up Saturday for breakfast so the kids won’t be cranky, and that gives us enough time to wind down._

_See you soon,_

_J. Laurens_

John read the letter over and over, feeling a little guilty for not including anything about Alexander in it, but remembered their plan to _slowly_ introduce him to Henry. The more he thought about it, the more it really _sucked_ to have been placed in this situation in the first place. Henry had no reason to scare his son into thinking there was something wrong with being gay, especially when John had a hunch that his father always sort of knew.

“Hey, Dad?” A small voice broke his train of thought. “What is it, Pip?” John put the letter down, instantly recognizing the owner of the voice, and turning towards his eldest son.

“I-I wrote a poem..! For g-grandpa!” Philip said shakily, holding up a crinkled paper with various smudges on the front. John chuckled, leaning against the kitchen counter. “Okay, let me hear it!” 

Philip cleared his throat and stood taller as he gathered his confidence. 

_Strong, brave, fearless and grand Always there with a helping hand_

_You make people laugh, bring them cheerful smiles_

_But it sucks we don’t live closer than eight hundred miles_

_I’ve heard from Dad that you’re really awesome_

_So I hope you’re knowledge can help me blossom._

Philip looked up from his paper, still a little shaken, but a sense of pride evident in his posture. He let out a squeal of laughter when John suddenly pulled him in for a tight, celebratory hug, lifting him off his feet. 

“Dad!” He giggled innocently, smiling wide as his father looked at him with pride in his eyes. “That was amazing, Pip! Did you show Pops?” John set Philip down, allowing the boy to gather himself before responding.

“Do you think grandpa’ll like it? I worked really hard on it!” His hazel eyes shimmered hopefully in the sunlight, which seeped through the window near the father-son pair. The smile on Laurens’ face faltered slightly as he vividly remembered how easily his own dreams were shot down as a kid by the person in question...

~~~

_“Dad, look! I drew a turtle!” A young John chirped as he held up a well-drawn portrait of a sea turtle. Henry, who had been hunched over a book about law, merely peered over for not even a second and let out an annoyed grumble in response. John, not picking up on the fact that Henry clearly wasn’t interested, kept rambling. “When I grow up, I wanna be an artist! And have lots of turtles as pets! Oh, and maybe I can have a turtle farm! Or-“_

_“Jack,” He interrupted, his then ten-year-old son’s grin broadening even more, as he anticipated what he wanted to hear. “Why don’t you do something useful and read a book on the history of law? By your age, I was already trying to help my father with government jobs, not chasing after a dream I knew wasn’t going to come true.”_

_John sucked in a quick breath and jerked backwards, the words stinging him like a slap to the face. “Okay...” He had responded in a small voice, taking the law book from his father and walking over to the trash, throwing the drawing out._

_“Good boy, Jack,” Henry called after his eldest son. “And don’t come back down until you’ve read the whole thing!”_

~~~

“Dad?” Philip’s voice suddenly brought John’s focus back to the present, where his confused son stood before him, head cocked innocently. Laurens shook his head slightly, standing tall once again. “S-sorry, Philip. Must’ve zoned out,” He muttered, finding it hard, suddenly, to maintain eye contact. “Why don’t you go get packed? It’ll be easier on you if you finish now.” Philip looked up at John, confused. 

“B-but-“ 

“Philip, please. Just go.” Laurens said sternly, guilt returning as he watched a defeated Philip sluggishly walk out of the kitchen. He swore lowly under his breath as he realized how much he’d resembled Henry that moment. 

“I’m nothing like Henry,” John peered back at the letter once again, a storm of emotions hitting him suddenly. Part of him considered throwing the letter out- forgetting about this whole mess, and saving his family from all the drama he was certain would come out of this. But the logical, domestic part of him said to listen to Alexander and to not be selfish. Allow his kids to have this experience. 

Before he could change his mind, John took out an empty envelope, sealing the letter inside and placing it in his mailbox to be shipped. 

“For them.”

***

Friday rolled around quicker than any of them had expected, and Alexander found himself in the living room, a list in his hand of everything he’d planned to take. 

“Tooth and hair brushes, check. Different changes of clothes, including pajamas, check. Sneakers and dress shoes, check. Ellie’s diaper bag, check,” Hamilton tapped the eraser-side of the pencil against his chin thoughtfully. “Hmm. I feel like I’m forgetting something...” 

“Bathing suit?” John called from the other room. Alexander made a face and shook his head quickly.

“No, that’s not it. It wasn’t first on the list,” He muttered more to himself, blue eyes scanning the list once again, as he tried to give himself any kind of ideas. “But I’d like to have it on me, at least.”

Hamilton’s focus was shattered when a series of thumps elicited from the staircase, followed by a final, loud slam against the hardwood floor. A groan followed soon after. 

Alex Junior stood up, holding his head as if he were trying to keep the room from spinning. “Whew. Not doing that again!” The five-year-old said nonchalantly, picking up his suitcase and practically skipping over to his father’s side, as if nothing had happened. Alexander stared down at his son with wide, worried eyes. “I’m fine, Pops,” He said before Hamilton even had a chance to ask if he was okay. “I have your writing things. You left them in your office!” Alex Junior held up a stack of papers, which were clipped to a clipboard, a pen and a pencil clinging onto the board as well. 

“O-oh. Thanks, Little,” Alexander said, carefully taking the materials from the little boy, who swiftly made his way to the kitchen. Before he had a chance to forget again, Hamilton threw his writing utensils into his carry-on bag and followed Junior.

“I think that’s everything,” Alexander said, glancing up at the analog clock that hung on their wall. “And just in time, too! We should probably start heading over to the airport now.”

Little Alex squealed in excitement, grabbing his bag and pushing past his brother, before bursting out the front door and sprinting towards the car. Philip, clearly not appreciative of being pushed, grabbed his own bag and raced out the door after Alex, yelling inaudibly as he gained on the younger boy. 

Laurens rolled his eyes at the two of them, being too distracted by gathering luggage to correct the rowdy boys. “Okay,” Hamilton said as he carefully placed Frances in her sling, which was strapped tightly to his chest. “Let’s go.” 

Without giving it another second to hesitate, the couple gathered their belongings and began the short drive to the airport. 

***

It took only twenty minutes to arrive at the airport, and just under an hour to get through security. For the remaining hour, give or take, that the family had managed to spare, they found a little coffee shop to eat at, chatting and laughing together happily. Truth be told, everyone had some sort of anxiety built-up inside of them regarding the trip. Philip couldn’t seem to get his mind off of the poem he’d written for Henry; every part of him hoping that his grandfather would enjoy it. Alexander Junior kept running his mouth as he fantasized what his first time on an airplane would be like, blurting out all kinds of crazy theories and ideas. Hamilton sat quietly for once, tapping his foot on the floor as he tried not to make eye contact with John. He knew exactly what his husband was thinking, gaze holding on Laurens when he turned to look at the people walking by. Alexander knew John was still a little bit hesitant about the trip, not because he didn’t want to keep his children and spouse hidden from the Laurens siblings and Henry, rather to keep his family safe against the possible mental pain and hurt that John suffered from whenever he was around his father. 

John looked away from the pedestrians, finally dropping his gaze to his half-eaten bagel in front of him. He jumped slightly when a hand was suddenly placed on top of his. “It’ll be okay, J. We’re going to have fun with your family, and I know you won’t let anyone,” Hamilton locked eyes with Laurens, silently swearing when he felt his cheeks begin to flush. “ _Anyone_ , mess with any of us. So let’s just put all that angst and negativity behind us and connect as one big, weird, happy family. Sound good?” John continued to stare at Alexander for a moment longer, then smiled softly. 

“Yeah. Real good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is when they’ll arrive in SC. After that, let the story unfold!


	3. Hidden Discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arrival| Surprise...?

The flight to Charleston was fairly smooth, and enabled Alexander, John and Ellie to get some rest. Philip and Junior on the other hand, spent their time watching movies and stuffing their faces full of free snacks, which their parents scolded them for, after John had discovered Alex Junior’s carry-on filled to the brim with potato chips and cookies. 

Luckily for them, picking up their luggage was a breeze, and the ride to their hotel was even easier. As the family drove, Philip had retrieved his notepad in attempt to write poems about his experiences; both on the road, and, in the future, at his grandfather’s house. The young boy flipped back to the poem about Henry and sighed anxiously. He’d heard so much about Henry from John, most of it, albeit, negative. 

_“But,”_ He thought to himself. _“I wasn’t supposed to hear all of that. So maybe dad was just joking, like he sometimes does with pops?”_ Philip shook his head, suddenly finding it hard to think, as they pulled up to Harbourview Inn, an anxious atmosphere suddenly hovering over the family. They knew what they were getting themselves into, but no one would’ve guessed in a million years what- or rather _who_ \- was waiting for them in the lobby. 

_“Martha?”_ Laurens’ jaw dropped at the sight of his sister, who stood casually in the lobby, alongside his younger brother, James. The two of them turned around simultaneously to the sound of their brother’s voice, and in a matter of seconds, Laurens had been tackled into a tight hug. 

“Jack! I haven’t seen you in damn-near a century!” Martha laughed, trying hard to prevent the tears from slipping down her face. 

“Yeah, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?” He chuckled after finally being released from his sister’s death-grip of a hug. John turned to his brother, smiling wide at the boy, who pulled him in for a one-armed hug. The two broke away, Laurens finally able to take in both of their appearances. They had, as expected, changed, but now took on more adult-like postures. 

James, who had been an awkward teenager the last time John had seen him, now finally grew into his lanky build. Aside from his taller stature, James had added a muscular tone to his freckled arms, which had fit him surprisingly well. 

Martha, on the other hand, had chose to grow out her curly, dirty-blonde locks, which fell gently against her back and shoulders. She had, for the most part, retained her taller stature, but James had finally outgrown her in height. 

“Wow, you guys look great! Finally out of your awkward teenage years, I see.” Laurens sneered, cackling when Martha shoved him bluntly. 

“Jerk.”

“Dad?” Alexander Junior piped up, head cocked innocently as he looked up at his father. “Who are they?”

Martha peered around her brother’s back, instantly locking eyes with...was that a _child?_

“Jack...,” She carefully walked up to Alex Junior, who gazed back curiously at the woman. “...You didn’t tell me you had kids! Does this mean I’m an aunt?” Martha squealed, gripping her brother’s shirt with a painful amount of force. “Jemmy, can you believe it? We’re aunts! Well...you’re an uncle...but still!” She let go of John in so she could face him completely. 

“Well? Introduce us!” 

Without wasting another second, John stepped aside bashfully. “Martha, James, meet Philip, Alexander Junior and Frances-Eleanor.” The Laurens siblings warmly greeted their niece and nephews, and it was James who ultimately noticed Hamilton, the two locking eyes. “Who are you?” Alexander and John froze, exchanging a worried glance before Laurens spoke up again. He swallowed anxiously, and took a deep breath. 

“This is Alexander. My...m-my...”

“Child care-taker?” Martha asked.

“Best friend?” James wondered aloud. 

“He’s our pops! And dad’s husband!” Alexander Junior blurted out, oblivious to how his fathers had tensed awkwardly. Martha let out a small gasp, and James looked at his brother wide-eyed. 

“You two are _married?_ ” James asked in disbelief, looking back and forth between his brother and- dare he say it- _brother-in-law_. “What’ll father say if he finds out, Jack?” 

Laurens, too stunned to speak, shifted his eyes quickly between his siblings. He had it coming; he should’ve expected it. The backlash, the confusion, the-

“Forget what father thinks,” Martha said suddenly, shoving her younger brother in the side. “I think Alexander is cool. He makes Jack happy, right?” 

John grinned widely at Martha, who flashed him a supportive smile of her own. “I’m just glad you followed through and pursue your own happiness at the expense of Father’s condescending attitude,” She said sourly, reaching a hand down to affectionately ruffle Philip’s hair. “As long as you’re happy, I’m happy. And Jemmy would say the same, wouldn’t you?”

James, who had distracted himself by fiddling with the collar of his shirt, looked up suddenly, unsurely at that. He nodded wordlessly, a fake and strained smile appearing on his face. “Yeah.” 

“Well, you all are probably tired from the trip here, so we’ll leave you to it. The dinner’s Sunday, right?” Martha said quickly, in attempt to destroy the obvious tension that began to build up between James and John. The taller of the two forced himself to tear his gaze away from James, nodding towards his sister. “Yes, Sunday at six o’clock.”

“Perfect. Come on, James. Let’s let Jack and his family settle a bit. We can meet up tomorrow or something-“

“Martha, wait,” John grabbed onto his sister’s shoulder before she should leave. “Can I talk to you a minute? Alone, preferably?”

She looked between her two brothers, nodding at James before following her older brother into a nearby hallway. “If this is about Jemmy, I’ll talk to him. Believe me, I have no problem telling him off.” Martha declared with a huff, crossing her arms over her chest. 

“No...well, not _exactly,_ ” John rubbed at the back of his neck. “It’s just...I don’t want Dad knowing about Alexander... _yet._ ” Martha raised an eyebrow, eyeing Laurens up and down suspiciously. “What do you mean, _‘yet’?_ ”

“I said I’d introduce the two of them slowly; allow them to sort of ‘feel each other out’, if you will.”

“And how the _hell_ do you plan on doing that? With your luck, father’ll just shut you guys out right away, and get into another argument with you,” Martha shuddered. “Which will more than likely end up like last time...” She trailed off, looking at the tiled floor pitifully. John shook his head and tipped Martha’s chin up gently, a serious gleam in his eyes.

“No, it won’t, because neither of us will let it happen again. And besides,” John smiled softly, Martha mirroring him after a moment. “All I want you guys to do is make Alex feel welcome, and lead dad into the situation slowly. Granted, it’s easier said than done, but trust me. Everything will pay off in the end.” 

The two siblings sat in a brief moment of silence, the gears turning in each of their heads. Martha suddenly gasped lightly, smirking to herself as if she’d had an epiphany. “John, you think it would be okay if I were to hang out with Alexander for a little? Just for tomorrow, maybe after breakfast?” She looked up hopefully at her brother, who appeared to be puzzled. 

“Sure? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. But why are you-“

“Thanks, Jackie! I’ll see you guys tomorrow morning, eleven-thirty sharp!” She hugged her brother tightly before swiftly walking out of the hallway, towards the lobby exit. “Tell Alexander to be ready!”

In a flash, Martha was out of sight, leaving a confused, yet slightly intrigued, John to stand awkwardly in the middle of the hallway. With a shake of his head, he questioned the dead space that surrounded him.

“Oh Martha, what’re you up to this time?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chap. is way shorter than I thought it was lmao


	4. A Helping Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sibling-in-law chat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***Warning: Contains mention of past abuse. If this is a touchy subject for you, please do not continue.***

Morning rolled around quickly, and Alexander found himself at the breakfast lounge, alone, as he waited for his sister-in-law to arrive. He stood awkwardly near a fake plant and constantly checked his phone, for the umpteenth time. 

_11:29 am_ , the phone read, screen going black after a few seconds. He began to tap his foot anxiously, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall coolly. 

_“Any time now...”_

“Alexander! I’ve been waiting outside for almost ten minutes!” Martha walked briskly up to Alexander, whom she locked arms with and practically dragged towards her car. “John didn’t tell you I was waiting?”

The startled man shook his head, glasses threatening to slip off his nose. Martha huffed, rolling her eyes as the two approached her car. “Typical. He’s never been good at remembering stuff, you know?”

“Ha. Yeah, he is pretty bad at that,” Alexander chuckled as he slid into the passenger’s seat. Silence fell on the pair as the engine revved up and Martha pulled out of the hotel lot. Alexander drummed his fingers rhythmically on the side of the door, knee bouncing rapidly. In attempt to avoid awkward tension, he spoke up. “So, what’re we doing today anyways? John wasn’t too specific. All he said was something about you wanting to have ‘one-on-one’ time with me.”

“Yeah, I didn’t really tell him much either,” Martha shrugged nonchalantly. “I just wanted to get to know you better. You seem pretty cool to me,” She shot Alexander a small smile, which he returned. “...That and one other thing.”

Alexander’s smile fell and was replaced by a confused pout. “And that would be?” He took note of how Martha’s previously calm demeanor reconstructed itself into one of discomfort, and how she gripped the steering wheel with slightly more force than necessary. Her jaw worked uselessly, failing to utter any sort of sentence, then sighed in defeat.

“Alex, I’m going to be honest with you. I don’t think my dad with appreciate you like he should,” She refused to make eye contact with Alexander, keeping her gaze on the road instead. “He’s always been against the idea of same-sex couples, especially if it meant that his son would turn out to be gay.”

Her brown eyes flickered momentarily towards her brother-in-law, who wore an emotionless expression on his face.

“Are you saying he’s always had a problem with John’s sexuality?” Martha could see the fire beginning to spark in Alexander’s eyes. She nodded shakily. 

“Yes. Even when he was a kid, Dad would always try to put Jack in sports, thinking that would ‘fix him’,” She sighed sourly, starting to feel her own blood boil at the mere thought. “Of course, it didn’t work. By middle school, John completely dropped out of football and went to pursue his true passion- drawing. Of course, Father didn’t like that. He saw it was a sign that his son was turning away from success, and ultimately going in the opposite direction Father wanted him to. I was the only one of us to support him, even if I was just a kid at the time. I wanted to see Jack succeed, to be happy! I knew he didn’t want to become a politician, I mean, can you blame the guy?” Martha looked up at Alexander for a moment, who stared back, clearly absorbing every last word. Silence fell over the pair as Alexander continued to ponder everything at once. 

“Did Henry ever...you know... _hurt_ John?” He asked quietly, to which Martha nodded pitifully. 

“Yes, on multiple occasions. And he did nothing to prevent it. Did you ever see the scar on his chest?” Alexander nodded as he prepared himself for what came next. “Well, that was from the time Father struck him with a belt when he’d overheard Jack’s coming out story. Matter of fact, he was telling _me_ , because I was the only one he trusted with such a big secret. It’s actually how I got this,” Martha lifted up her bangs, exposing a deep scar across her forehead. “Happened the same day. I was trying to protect my brother, but ended up paying for it myself. That was also the first time I ever saw John go after our father. There was screaming, yelling, hitting...I was barely conscious, so I couldn’t have jumped in for Jack. That was the last time I ever saw my brother before he left the environment himself. He was barely eighteen, and he apparently stayed with a friend until he was old enough to apply for college. Dad ultimately found out from some friend of his- Mister George Washington- where John had escaped to and they sort of lost touch back then. I remember him saying that he didn’t want Jack home until he had gotten over his ‘boy phase’ and whenever he ended up marrying a woman.”

Alexander frowned, now confused. “Wait. If Henry found out John simply married someone, how _didn't_ he find out John married another guy?” 

“It’s because Mister Washington kept that a secret, I suppose. All he mentioned was that John was married, with two sons and a daughter. That’s all he told Father, and he never questioned it.”

Alexander smiled gently to himself, taking a mental note to thank Washington for saving their asses later. Despite his momentary relief, a mix of pity, sorrow and newfound hatred began to flow through him. Not for Martha, certainly not for John, but for Henry. What gave him the right to hurt his children like that? What did they ever do to him? He inhaled sharply and placed a comforting hand on Martha’s shoulder. 

“Martha, I promise. None of that will ever happen again. Not while I’m here to protect you all. Never in my life have I _ever_ dreamed of hurting someone as sweet, lovable and caring as John, and I’d never do that to you, either. You’re my family now, and that means I’d risk my life and happiness to protect you all- John, Philip, Junior, Ellie and you. If anything like that happens tomorrow night, you do not hesitate to get me involved.”

Martha, who had already parked the car so she didn’t risk getting too distracted, looked at Alexander with soft eyes. Her quivering lip curled up into a smile as she took her brother-in-law into a tight hug. “T-thank you, Alex. That means a lot to me,” She wiped another tear away before pulling back, suddenly concerned. “But how are we going to, I quote John on this, ‘introduce you to Father slowly’? He’s not letting you anywhere near his house if he finds out you two are together!” 

Alexander paused, pondering this himself. “I could dress up as a lady and pretend to be his wife.” He suggested, laughing when Martha shot him an unamused look. 

“That was probably the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. But _seriously_ ,” She huffed impatiently, looking off to the side in thought. “We have to think of something that won’t be too obvious...,”

The two sat in silence for a moment, both pondering and thinking to themselves intensely. Alexander suddenly spoke up. 

“What if I pretended I was the care-taker of the kids, and helping John after the...I dunno, death of his wife or something?” 

Martha stared at Alexander blankly for a moment, brightening as she caught on. “Actually, I like that idea Alex. It’s not too obvious, and it makes sense- _ish_ , I guess.” She made a so-so gesture with her hand. 

“Well, it’ll have to do,” Alexander stated confidently. He momentarily looked out the window and his eyes fell on a sign leading to a coffee shop. He smiled bashfully before turning to Martha again. “Can we get some coffee? It’s on me!” 

Martha chuckled, starting up her car once again. “Yeah. Let’s go.”  
~~~

The car ride back to the hotel was very animated and loud, Martha and Alexander taking turns sharing stories and cracking jokes about whatever they happened to conjure up. As they rode, the two former their own secret opinions about one another, both of which were nothing but positive.

_You’re not like the others. I can trust and rely on you to keep my family safe and happy. We only just met literally yesterday, but you’re like the brother/sister I never had. Don’t ever change._


End file.
